Star Crossed

II

Jo stood next to Han, Leia, Chewie, and their droids as they waited for the meeting to start. Han stood exceptionally close to Jo, not that either of them minded, but when Han tried to run his fingers along Jo's clavicle, she raised an amused brow. "What do you think you're doing?" She looked between his eyes. 

"Just trying to pass the time." He said innocently as he watched his fingers barely graze her shirt. 

"Pass the time, huh? Well, we'd have all the time in the world if people discovered who I was and I was exiled for committing treason." She told him with the same amused tone. Han let out a sigh as he dropped his hand from her shoulder. "Better." She mused as she turned her back to Han. 

Han looked down her backside as he gave a crooked smile. "I like a little chase." He whispered just for her. Jo scoffed but the heat in her cheeks betrayed her. "I like a little color too." He bent down to whisper in her ear. Jo rolled her shoulder back, coming dangerously close to hitting Han in the chin. He gave a laugh as he lifted himself back up and folded his arms over his chest. 

Leia gave Jo a sly smirk as she looked between her and Han who stood just behind her. "We missed you at the celebration last night," Leia told Jo. Immediately Jo's cheeks darkened. 

"I'm sure Lando kept you busy." Jo bit back to try and take some of the attention off of her. At the mention of the sly gambler, Lando walked through the briefing room doors and made his way towards Han, Leia, and Jo. Jo gave Leia a wide smirk as the Princess was unsuspecting of the charming new general. Jo and Han, however, got the first glimpse of the new insignia honorably placed on his chest. 

Han seemed just as amused as Jo as he stepped up to Jo's side and gave Lando a once-over. "Well, look at you, a general, huh?" Han raised an eyebrow. Leia turned around at the mention of the newest addition to the Rebel Alliance. 

"Oh, well, someone must have told them about my little maneuver at the battle of Taanab." Lando looked directly at Han as he said it. 

Jo raised a brow as she craned her neck up to look at her cute pilot. She didn't know when he would have had the time to brag. Maybe before she swept him away from the part. 

"Well, don't look at me, pal. I just said you were a fair pilot. I didn't know they were lookin' for somebody to lead this crazy attack." Han put his hand to his heart. 

Lando gave a genuine smile as he looked at his old friend. "I'm surprised they didn't ask you to do it." Lando nodded at Han. That made him laugh as he looked down at Jo for a split second before looking back at Lando. 

"Well, who says they didn't." Jo giggled at his bragging. "But I ain't crazy. You're the respectable one, remember?" Han smirked at Lando. Before Lando could say anything, the leader of their Rebel Cruiser, Mon Mothma, called the room's attention. 

She was quite admirable, Jo always thought so. The woman was a natural leader, very stern with an authority no one questioned. But she wasn't a dictator, she was fair and considered what everyone had to say. She listened, but even more than that, she heard. 

Before she started, Jo took a seat in the front row with Leia on her left. Han sat on her right with Chewie next to him. While Leia and Jo were sitting straight up at attention, Han leaned back and placed his elbows over the back of the seats. 

"The Emperor has made a critical error and the time for our attack has come." Mon Mothma looked around the room as she spoke. Her voice was low, but it held everyone's attention. 

Jo straightened even more in her seat and pulled her shoulders back. She knew the time would be coming, but she didn't think it'd be now. 

Before Mon Mothma continued, she turned to a hologram right behind her that showed the Death Star- which was only half-constructed- as it was placed next to a planet, Endor. Compared to the large moon, the Death Star was puny, but Jo knew not to trust the simulation. It was bigger, much bigger.